Week 10

Question 1

what is ethnography and participant observation?

Answer 1

approaches to research where you’re GOING to a PLACE or CONTEXT and OBSERVING people or phenomena FIRSTHAND. goal is to REPRESENT COMMUNITIES as they see THEMSELVES
QUALITATIVE and INTERPRETIVIST method

note: difference is ethnography can include looking at historical records, not just live participants

Question 2

what are the types of ethnographic field sites?

Answer 2

IN-PERSON (campaign office, social movement meetings, etc.), ONLINE (reddit, youtube, etc.), EVERYDAY LIFE (AUTOethnography: ones own life)
can have multiple sites in one study

Question 3

what are the 7 steps in ethnographic research?

Answer 3

1. IDENTIFY GROUP+FIELD SITES
2. BUILD RAPPORT (build trust-want them to open up)
3. spend TIME IN FIELD
4. OBSERVE ethnographically (what can you infer from what people are doing?)
5. ASK QUESTIONS
6. RECORD observations
7. REFLECT on POSITIONALITY

Question 4

what is the spectrum of observation vs participation?

Answer 4

SCALE that goes from being a complete OBSERVER (passive) to being a complete PARTICIPANT (active) ex. watching quietly as people protest/ plan protest vs getting involved and protesting too?

Question 5

what is the spectrum of covert vs overt observation?

Answer 5

SCALE of how much you disclose about your study that goes from completely COVERT (ex. studying gang-secret) to completely OVERT (open about everything)